The invention pertains to the general field of license plate frames and more particularly to a license plate frame that can be attached with indicia displayed on a lower section of the frame or turned upside down and be attached with the indicia displayed on an upper section of the frame.
In the United States, as well as many other countries, all operational vehicles are required to display license plates. License plates are utilized to identify ownership, display registration fee payment and to allow law enforcement a means of determining a characteristics of the legal status of individual vehicles and owners.
A typical U.S. license plate is a rectangular metal plate with a group of letters, numbers or a combination thereof. Originally, license plates were assigned in the order of manufacture, but many states have decided to allow individuals to order custom plates with personally selected numbers or letters. Unfortunately, the custom license plates cost more than standard plates. For those individuals who do not desire a custom plate, a viable alternative has long being to surround the plate with a frame. License plate frames come in a wide variety of designs, from the under-stated simple, metal or plastic, non-ornamented frame, to garnished design that incorporate lights or other modification to enhance the visual appeal.
Typically, license plate frames, which include indicia, are designed to be attached to a license and vehicle bracket in a single position. The design of the instant invention allows the license plate frame to be attached in either of two positions. In either position the indicia is in a correct orientation to be viewed.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention however, the following U.S. Pat. Nos. were considered related:
The license plate frame in its basic design has a first horizontal section which includes a pair of mounting tabs, a second horizontal section, a left vertical section, a right vertical section, and a pair of emblems. One emblem is attached at the intersection of the left vertical section and the second horizontal section, and the second emblem is attached at the intersection of the right vertical section and the second horizontal section. The license plate frame can be positioned and attached to a vehicle mounting bracket with the mounting tabs located above the second horizontal section; or the frame can be turned upside down and attached with the mounting tabs located below the second horizontal section.
The ability to mount the frame in two configurations gives a person the choice of displaying the indicia emblem above the license plate or below it. Additionally, by providing a multiplicity of emblems, different words or images may be chosen for display. When the emblems are attached by a non-permanent adhesive, they may be removed and changed repeatably depending on the need or design at a particular time.
Therefore, the primary object of the invention is to provide a license plate frame that includes either permanently-attached or removably indicia which can be mounted to a license plate and vehicle with either the indicia above or below the license plate.
Additionally, it is the object of the invention to provide a license plate frame that is:
easy to customize per a person""s need or desire,
is convenient and easy to assembly and attached to a vehicle,
able to be manufactured in a variety of materials, such as metal, wood or plastic,
can be made in a variety of colors or can be plated with metals such as silver, gold or chrome,
can be sold in a variety of different markets,
is cost effective from both a manufacturer""s and consumer""s point of view.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.